Arugula, Lemon Quinoa Salad
"A very light side dish, served room temperature or a slight chill with a fresh peppery lemon vinaigrette, peas, scallions, spicy arugula and quinoa. Very simple and easy to put together. It really isn't meant as a main dish, but a great side dish to compliment your main course and very healthy. You could always turn this into a main dish by adding some grilled chicken."
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 16
- Yields:
-
4-6 Individual servings
- Serves:
- 4-6
ingredients
- 1 1⁄4 cups quinoa
- 2 1⁄4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups baby arugula, rough chopped
- 1 cup peas (frozen peas work great, and then thawed)
- 2 scallions, fine diced
- 1 small onion, fine diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, fine chopped
- 1 lemon, zest of
- salt
-
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1⁄2 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper (more if you don't mind a peppery taste. I love it, but adjust to your tastes)
directions
- Quinoa -- Cook according to directions. For most brands it is 1 part to approximately 2 parts liquid. Rinse the quinoa very well before you cook it - Important Step! Then bring the liquid to a boil (I prefer to use a broth to add even more flavor), reduce, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Just check your package for complete directions. Once done, just set to the side to cool.
- Salad Ingredients -- In your serving bowl, add the arugula, onion, scallions, garlic, peas, parsley and lemon zest. Toss well.
- Vinaigrette -- I like to make my vinaigrettes in a small tupperware container so I can just shake it and it is ready to go. Besides, if you don't use all your dressing, just put the lid back on and it will keep in the refrigerator for future use. But you can also mix this up in any small bowl or measuring cup. Just mix up the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, mustard, sugar and pepper.
- Finish -- Simply add the cooled or room temp quinoa to the salad vegetables and toss. Add a little vinaigrette at a time and mix. Add as much vinaigrette as you want. Check for seasoning and add any additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve -- ENJOY this lighter salad.
Questions & Replies
Got a question?
Share it with the community!
Reviews
Have any thoughts about this recipe?
Share it with the community!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
SarasotaCook
Sarasota, Florida
<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
